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11 June 2007

For the past few days, Hubby and I have been sick. We've both been hit with a tummy virus... not fun at all :( I just hope that Little One doesn't get it too.

Since we were both feeling under the weather, I thought we could do with some nourishing comfort food. I had already made my own chicken stock the day before so I decided to cook up minestrone. The base recipe I used was Neil Perry's from his book "The food I love". But me, being me, I couldn't but help put my own touch to it. The original recipe called for water but I decided to give it that extra lift and used my chicken stock (easily made from chicken bones, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper and simmered for 4 hours). Neil's version also didn't have any pasta but I added macaroni. When I first made this, I thought it didn't have that full tomato flavour that I like in minestrones so at the end of the long simmer, I added tomato sauce. Now don't laugh... this really works!

This is best served in a bowl sitting under a thick doona, in from of the TV snuggling with your loved one... and oh, with soft fresh bread.

1 can of cannellini beans, drained

olive oil

2 rashes of bacon, diced

1 onion

2 garlic cloves smashed

3 celery stalks finely diced

2 carrots, peeled and finely diced

sea salt and pepper

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

12 green beans, cut into 1cm pieces

400g can chopped tomatoes

2 litres of chicken stock

2 bay leaves

75grams macaroni pasta

handful of parsley leaves, chopped

3-4 tablespoons of tomato sauce(or ketchup)

parmesan

Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan and sweat the bacon.

Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot and salt. Sauté for about 7-8 minutes

Add the tomato paste and beans and cook a further 2-3 minutes

Add the tomatoes, parsley, bay leaves and the stock.

Bring to the boil and let simmer for 40 to 50 minutes.

Add the pasta, stir and cook for 9 minutes

Add the cannellini beans and simmer for another 5 minutes

Check the season, adding more salt and pepper if necessary and add the tomato sauce.